Dynamic memory layouts for firmware updates based on OEM memory subsystem

1. A method, implemented on a computing system, for providing a firmware update in the form of a capsule, the method comprising:

during a boot process on a computing system, detecting that a capsule exists in system memory, the capsule containing a firmware update;

in response to the detection, selecting a first separate memory subsystem from among multiple separate memory subsystems that are available on the computing system;

identifying a block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem;

causing the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem;

causing the capsule that has been coalesced into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem to be copied to the system memory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem comprises identifying a physical address of the block of memory.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to causing the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the separate memory subsystem, initializing the first separate memory subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to causing the capsule that has been coalesced into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem to be copied to the system memory, registering the system memory.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the capsule that has been coalesced into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem to be copied to the system memory comprises identifying a physical address of the block of memory.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first separate memory subsystem is selected from among the multiple separate memory subsystems based on a policy.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the separate memory subsystem is one of:

GPU memory;

NVMe-based storage; or

dedicated internal memory.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to causing the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the separate memory subsystem, causing the system memory to be initialized.

9. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

system memory;

multiple separate memory subsystems;

an operating system; and

firmware that is configured to perform the following:

during a boot process, detect that the operating system has stored a capsule in the system memory, the capsule containing a firmware update;

in response to the detection, select a first separate memory subsystem from among the multiple separate memory subsystems;

identify a block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem;

cause the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem; and

cause the capsule that has been coalesced into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem to be copied to the system memory.

10. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the firmware comprises a pre-EFI initialization module.

11. The computing system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a policy that dictates that the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem should be identified.

12. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the firmware causes the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem by identifying a physical address of the block of memory.

13. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the firmware is further configured to initialize the first separate memory subsystem prior to causing the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem.

14. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the firmware is further configured to register the system memory prior to causing the capsule that has been coalesced into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem to be copied to the system memory.

15. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the first separate memory subsystem is one of: GPU memory, NVMe-based storage or dedicated internal memory.

16. One or more computer storage media storing computer executable which when executed on a computing system implement a method for providing a firmware update in the form of a capsule, the method comprising:

during an initialization stage of a boot process, detecting that an operating system on the computing system has stored a capsule in system memory, the capsule including a firmware update;

in response to the detection, selecting a first separate memory subsystem, from among multiple separate memory subsystems, to be employed to coalesce the capsule;

identifying a block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem;

causing the capsule to be coalesced from the system memory into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem; and

after the capsule is coalesced into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem, causing the coalesced capsule to be copied into the system memory.

17. The computer storage media of claim 16 , wherein determining that the first separate memory subsystem is to be employed to coalesce the capsule comprises selecting the first separate memory subsystem from among multiple separate memory subsystems based on a policy.

18. The computer storage media of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:

after the capsule is coalesced into the block of memory in the first separate memory subsystem and prior to causing the coalesced capsule to be copied into the system memory, registering the system memory.